German stocks - Factors to watch on October 20

Reuters Staff

3 Min Read

FRANKFURT, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The following are some of the factors that may move German stocks on Friday:

GERMAN ELECTION

There is a long way to go in talks on forming a new German coalition led by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives, a senior member of the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) said after meeting the environmentalist Greens on Thursday.

BREXIT

Goldman Sachs chief executive Lloyd Blankfein is planning to spend a lot more time in Frankfurt, he said on Thursday, as the Wall Street bank pushes ahead with plans to make the German city a major base after Britain leaves the European Union.

BASF

Fitch revised BASF’s outlook to negative on Thursday.

COMMERZBANK

The bank denied a Handelsblatt report on Thursday that said the bank was postponing digitalisation projects because its third-quarter earnings were weak.

DAIMLER

DEUTSCHE BOERSE

Deutsche Boerse held talks with several possible partners in 2015 and 2016, including MSCI, WirtschaftsWoche weekly reported, citing an internal draft report by law firm Linklaters.

RWE, UNIPER

RWE would be interested in buying Uniper’s power plants that Fortum sells after the Finnish firm’s planned takeover, Handelsblatt reported, citing company sources. Sources already told Reuters last week that RWE was likely to buy Uniper assets in such a scenario.

METRO

FY trading statement due.

SOFTWARE AG

Software AG reported a decline in third-quarter core profits as its digital, database and consulting divisions all showed lacklustre growth, but affirmed its full-year guidance.

SIXT

The company said Thursday that its management board continues to expect a significant increase of consolidated earnings before tax for 2017, from 2016’s 218 million euros.

AIR BERLIN

The insolvent German carrier and EasyJet are expected to announce a deal on Friday for the purchase of up to 25 A320 aircraft, German media reported on Thursday.

OVERSEAS STOCK MARKETS

Dow Jones unchanged, S&P 500 unchanged, Nasdaq -0.3 pct at close.

Nikkei -0.1 pct, Shanghai stocks +0.1 pct.

Time: 5.11 GMT.

GERMAN ECONOMIC DATA

German September producer prices due at 0600 GMT. Seen +0.1 percent m/m, +2.9 percent y/y.